It’s taken a while, but Charles Oliveira is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves.
Not just as a skilled submission artist — “Do Bronx” got his props on that front long ago — but as a legitimate title contender in the UFC’s deepest division, lightweight.
Oliveira got the biggest win of his career Saturday when he finished former interim title challenger Kevin Lee in the third round of their UFC on ESPN+ 28 main event in Brasilia, Brazil.
That’s the seventh consecutive victory for the UFC’s all-time submission record holder. All seven have been by way of finish, and it has come against a steadily increasing level of competition along the way.
This means that after a long run as a guy considered an entertaining fighter, but not a title contender, Oliveira is probably one win away from being on the very short list of challengers for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s belt.
That is reflected in the current USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, as Oliveira now sits No. 7 at 155 pounds. Lee, in the midst of a rough stretch, checks in at No. 10.
If you’ve been following the news, you know why this is likely to be the final significant rankings update of note for a little while. In the meantime, if you want to find out how the rest of the competitors from UFC on ESPN+ 28 placed in the rankings, or how your favorite fighter in general fares, scroll up to the drop-down menu for our full selection.
